


i'll be home quite soon

by sugdensrobert



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Nothing much really, Soft lads, robert and aaron are putting the photo album together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-03 06:12:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14562618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugdensrobert/pseuds/sugdensrobert
Summary: aaron feels soft and slightly cheesy, but he never thought he’d be the bloke to get excited about photo albums, but it’s not something he had ever really known, there had always been frames, but no albums full of memories. This was special, their first one as a family, hopefully the first of many more but he wasn’t going to tell robert that just yet.or, robert wants to put a photo album together for liv, aaron loves the idea.





	i'll be home quite soon

**Author's Note:**

> i couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to write this! i hope you enjoy it x

 

Things had been a bit different from their usual routine tonight. Aaron had texted Robert saying he wouldn’t be eating at home, something that never happened, well not since they had gotten back together, or whenever they had been together really. It wasn’t that they had a row, not at all it was just that he didn’t feel like being at home right now, he would have to get used to it but so soon after Liv had gone to prison, the empty space she had left still felt too prominent. His mum asked if he wanted to stay for tea with her and Paddy and he had appreciated the offer, this way he could spend some time with them after they had just gotten engaged, and they could talk about Liv.

He knew that Seb would probably be sleeping right now, and his husband waking him up to go over to the pub wouldn’t be too ideal. Of course Gerry could look after Seb, although Robert probably wouldn’t like that idea too much, and Aaron couldn’t really blame him. Besides deep down Aaron knew that Robert probably wasn’t ready to have a meal with Paddy and Chas just yet, his husband still seemed slightly uncomfortable around them, and as much as he wanted that to change, considering the circumstances, tonight wouldn’t be the night for that.

It was no surprise that Robert called him seconds after he had sent the text.

 

“Aaron, are you okay, why are you not eating at home.” Robert rushed the words out, worry evident in his voice.  

“Robert it’s fine there’s nothing going on, mum just asked me to stay, fill them in on how Liv is doing and-

“Have I done something wrong?” Even though Robert couldn’t see him, Aaron pulled a face and shook his head. “No- why would you say that?”

“Because you don’t want to come home to me?” His voice sounded small and Aaron hated it.

“Robert, no, it’s not you, I wish you didn’t think like that.” Aaron’s spoke that last bit slightly softer, he knew Robert thought it was because of something he had done, whenever Aaron was upset or something was up, so he had decided to always point it out to him, in the hope that his husband would believe it, wouldn’t always think things were his fault.

“Sorry- sorry I”

“You’re more than welcome Rob, so is Seb but I thought it would be inconvenient so last minute-“ Aaron interrupted. 

“I am just being stupid, you're right you know, I’ll see you later, have a catch-up and don’t rush home, I am an idiot.”

Aaron felt relieved, a smile appearing on his face, his husband sounded calm again. “I won’t ever argue that one.” He could almost hear Robert’s grin, “and Rob- I always want to come home to you ok? Don’t forget that."

“Love you” came the reply “I’ll see you later.”

“See you later, and give Seb a big cuddle from me, I love you too.”

 

It was about two hours later when he returned, when he closed the door behind him he saw Robert sitting at the table in the kitchen, Aaron frowned, in front of his husband lay what looked like photos, all spread out on the table, there was also what he assumed was a photo album, but before he could say something Robert turned to face him.

“Hey, you’re back” he said his face lighting up.

“Yeah I am” Aaron grinned and tried to turn around to hang up his coat but Robert was coming towards him and wrapped his arms around his waist in seconds. Pulling backwards slightly, he rubbed at his husband’s arms and added “I am sorry about tonight, we should have just gone over as a family, it was stupid.” Aaron knew that there were of course going to be times that they would do stuff separately, he just didn’t like it very much, and looking at Robert, who looked slightly dishevelled after a long day, he felt an ache in his chest. “I am sorry Rob” he said again, squeezing his husband’s biceps.

“Don’t be silly hey, I was just being dramatic and well, worried.”

“You don’t have to be, next time you’re just going to come with me.” Robert pulled a face at that.

“Not sure they really want to have dinner with me if I am honest.”

“They do, even asked about you and Seb.” Robert smiled warmly at that and Aaron rubbed his arms again, “and we have their wedding to look forward to, and by that time Liv will be out and we will all be together again.”

“Yes” his husband replied, not really saying anything else but his eyes lit up, Aaron knew how much his husband just wanted their family to all be together, happy, healthy and safe.

“How’s Seb?”

 “Our routine is still working” his husband grinned, “he went out like a light.”

Aaron gave him a kiss, before mumbling “missed you” and tries to untangle himself from Robert, so he can finally get his coat off. Robert smiles softly at him “yeah I missed you too, shall I make you a brew?” he asks.

“Yes please, anyways, what’s all this” he said walking towards the table.

“Oh yeah uh I thought it would be a nice idea” his husband turned around from the kitchen counter

“A photo album?” Aaron said, looking over the many photos scattered on the table, he picked a few of them up, getting a closer look.

 

“It’s for Liv- for prison, to remind her of us, and home.” Robert walked over to him, holding out a cup of tea. He looked almost _shy_ and _embarrassed_?

“Rob” he breathed, “that’s- that’s lovely, when did you think of it?” he pulled out a chair and Robert moved to sit across of him, cups of tea staying in their hold, not wanting to risk spilling it on the photos.

“Yesterday- when you were talking about bringing in a few pictures for her to hang up, I thought of all those photos we have with no particular place, I thought why not put them in a photo album.”

“With no particular place you mean those boxes in our room.” Aaron grinned thinking of the small boxes they had up in their room, filled with photos but no other use.

“Well yeah” Robert laughed and then pointed to a pile of photos next to his arm. “I wanted to put in recent ones as well as older ones” he handed him the pile, Aaron gasped, there were photos from the last two months, since they had gotten back together; random domestic snapshots Liv doing her homework, Aaron making a brew, Aaron cuddling Seb on the sofa, Aaron and Liv laughing at something.

Aaron could feel Robert watching him, he was sure he was grinning at him. “I’ve never seen some of these” his eyes widened, there were a few of them, also recent ones. Robert smiling at him, him smiling at Robert, the both of them cuddled up on the sofa, he held it out to Robert, a questioning look on his face. “Liv sometimes sends me photos, probably knowing that you would delete them straight away.” he offers. Aaron pulls a face, “no I don’t, well only if they are bad”

“That’s just it isn’t it, you think all of them are bad.” Robert replies jokingly, kicking him lightly underneath the table. “I like that one” he adds, softly. “So do I, actually” Aaron replies returning his smile, and seeing his husband’s face practically lighting up.

“Rob these are so cute” he’s looking at a few photos of Robert and Seb, some of them taken by him, others by Liv he guesses, there’s also one of his husband and Liv, both of them unaware that they are caught on camera.

The last one from the most recent pile nearly make him cry, they are from the walk they went on not so long ago, even Gerry is in some of them. He’d do anything to be able to do that right now, Liv safely at home, their whole little family all together, where they belong. Robert’s hand reaches out to touch him, he puts his own hand on the table, his husband grabbing it. “She will be home soon, I know it.” Aaron smiles, and then nods towards another little pile, “what are those ones” he has already realised that his husband has put everything in a certain category. “A few of Seb, and some of me and him, from a while back, when we weren’t back together yet. I am not sure if you want them in the album or if Liv would like it.” His husband’s eyes cast downwards, not looking him in the eye.

“Rob” it’s said softly but with a certain tone to it, his husband looks up;  “what are these” he points towards pictures of him as a child, baby photo’s of Liv and photos of a little blonde boy in dungarees, all from the boxes in their room.

“Photos” Aaron gives him a look, Robert sighs, surely already knowing what Aaron is trying to say “childhood photos.”

“So they are, so I want those ” he nods to the pile in Robert’s hand “in the album as well, and so does Liv, it needs to be complete, we probably need some photos of Gerry as a child as well.” Robert laughs at that.

“Anyways, when did you get these done?” He gestures to the more recent ones.

“Today, on the way from my meeting, I went to a little shop in Hotton that printed photos off”

“It means a lot, Rob it really is a lovely idea.” His husband smiles softly, “we can send it over her before we visit, and then we can look at it together.”

“And when she gets out, it goes on the shelf.” Aaron feels soft and slightly cheesy, but he never thought he’d be the bloke to get excited about photo albums, but it’s not something he had ever really known, there had always been frames, but no albums full of memories. This was special, their first one as a family, hopefully the first of many more but he wasn’t going to tell Robert that just yet.

"I am so glad you like the idea.” Robert cuts through his train of thoughts.

“Don’t be silly, of course I do, but” he gestured to all the photos “now they all need a place in the album don’t they.”

“Yes, good thing I’ve got you to help me now isn’t it, I’ll get us new teas, they’ve gone all cold.”

 

Aaron watches his husband, even though he misses Liv, wants her home instead of in there, he feels ok, calm and safe. Robert makes him feel all that and more,  he wouldn’t know how he would be coping if he hadn’t gotten him back, he didn’t even want to think about it. Shaking his head to will away the thought, he stood up.

“Thank you” he whispered, nodding to the cups on the kitchen counter, but also looking at Robert, hoping that he gets that his thanks is for so much more. “I’ll just check on Seb, I’ll be right back.”

 

 

And yes, the smile Robert gives him, makes him feel whole, complete and at home.

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading!  
> come say hello: sugdenssrobert on tumblr


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